Please be seated. Mr. Speaker, Members of the Legislative Assembly, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the second session of the 12th Legislative Assembly.
During the session your government will be presenting its capital estimates for 1992-93 and an interim supply bill that will provide the administration with enough money to continue its operations until the end of July.
The Minister of Finance will be addressing you later on the Territories' financial position and budget process and the government will be tabling an implementation plan on reshaping northern government. The plan will include proposals regarding consolidating government departments, review of boards and agencies, and work that has to be done in order to transfer responsibilities from headquarters to local community governments.
Legislation
Legislation to be presented to the Assembly includes: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1992-93; Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1990-91; Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1991-92; An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act; Loan Authorization Act, 1992-93; An Act to Amend the Tobacco Tax Act. Mr. Speaker, your government considers these bills essential to the good conduct of government business, and I want to recommend passage of each of them.
On a personal note, when I accepted the position of Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, I explained that I fully intended to carry on with the directions established by my predecessor. Those directions resulted in a more responsible government for the Northwest Territories, and, towards the end of his term, a reduction of his own responsibilities to more closely reflect the role of a provincial lieutenant-governor.
In recognition of this, I feel it is time for me to remove myself from the floor of this House. In all similar jurisdictions within Canada, the lieutenant-governor opens and closes each session but does not sit in the House. I will be following this practice, effective immediately.
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I also want to state that because of our budget situation, I have decided to end the practice of a Commissioner's dinner at the start of each session.
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While this will not result in a large financial saving, it does reflect the need for restraint at all levels of government.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you, and I now declare open, the second session of the 12th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. Thank you very much.
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